Releasing means for rolled tissue dispensing devices



June 5, 1962 F. PETTIT 3,037,718

RELEASING MEANS FOR ROLLED TISSUE DISPENSING DEVICES Filed July 27, 1960 3,037,718 Patented June 5, 1962 This invention relates to improvements in dispensing devices for rolled tissues and the like.

A common form of device for rotatably retaining a roll of toilet tissue or the like employs a longitudinally compressible spool assembly having end pins adapted to be sprung or snapped into opposed sockets in the end abutments of the recessed supporting structure. With such a device little trouble has usually been experienced in installing a roll of paper in the fixture, since the spool assembly is easily compressed lengthwise while one end thereof is outside the recess and hence readily accessible. However, once having been snapped into place, the ends of the spool become highly inaccessible, with the result that later release of the spool entails considerable difiiculty and annoyance, particularly when the roll to be removed is unused or only partly used, as for example in cases where it may be desired to change to a different type or color of tissue. Under these circumstances it has often been found necessary to insert a sharp implement, usually a knife, between one end of the spool body and the closely adjacent abutment in order to compress the spool assembly sufliciently to allow release from the recess. Such an operation, in addition to being awkward, difiicult and annoying, also obviously may cause danger of injury to the operator and marring of the fixture.

One object of the present invention resides in the provision of an improved dispenser in which insertion or removal of a roll of material may be accomplished at any time with equal ease and quickness.

A further object is to provide a device of the above type which is operable at all times without the use of tools.

A still further object is to provide an axially compressible retaining spool assembly in combination with outwardly extending means to compress or telescope the assembly while the latter is in place within a fixture recess.

Still another object is to provide a dispenser of the above type which is simple, low in cost, and of unobtrusive appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident during the course of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the assembled dispenser;

FIG. 3 is a detail view of an optional permanent mounting of the releasing means on the end-pin of the spool, and

FIG. 4 is an end detail of an alternative form of the releasing means rigidly secured to the end-pin.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral designates a fixture frame or housing, preferably of the type adapted to be recessed in a wall 11, though not limited thereto. The housing .10 includes side abutments 12 and 13 spaced to accommodate a roll of sheet material herein illustrated as a roll 14 of toilet paper. The abutments 12 and 13 are provided with opposed sockets 15 and 16 adapted to receive respectively the end-pins 17 and 18 of a spool assembly 19 which rotatably supports the roll 14. This assembly includes a main supporting cylindrical spool or body 20, hollow throughout a portion of its length and having slidably mounted therein a plunger 21 terminating at its outer end in the end-pin 18. A spring 22 urges the plunger 21 outward, a pin 23 secured in the body 20 and extending into a short slot 24 in the plunger 21 being provided to prevent ejection of the plunger when the spool assembly is removed from the housing. The end-pin 17 is formed integrally with or permanently secured to the spool body 20 which, in common with the plunger 21, may be made of any suitable material such as plastic, wood, or metal if desired.

A thin releasing plate 25, preferably of metal, has therein a hole 26 adapted to loosely admit the end-pin 17. The plate 25 is so proportioned that when in place as shown in FIG. 2, a substantial portion extends inward beyond the socket 15. The outer end of the plate is formed with a short portion 27 bent at an angle so as to extend across and a short distance in front of the abutment 12, and finally with a forwardly directed tab 28.

In operation, when a roll 14 is to be installed, the plate 25 is placed on the end-pin 17 and the assembly is sprung into place by inserting one end-pin angularly into its socket, contracting the spool combination longitudinally, and swinging the assembly inward until the other end-pin snaps into its socket. In this installation it is generally immaterial which end is inserted first, but it is preferable that the movable pin 18 be engaged initially, since the plate 25 with its angle portion 27 and tab 28 provides a convenient handle for readily guiding the endpin '17 into registry with its socket 15. When in installed position, as shown in FIG. 2, the plate 25 is retained between the abutment 12 and the end of the spool body 20, while the angular outer portion 27 in front of the abutment 12 prevents any posible rotational displacement of the plate into an inaccessible position during use of the dispenser. When it is desired to remove the roll 14 the tab 28 is pressed in the direction shown by the arrow A in FIG. 2. This causes the plate 25 to act as a lever having a fulcrum F at its inner edge while rocking on the end-pin 17, thus forcing the body 20 away from the abutment -12 until the end-pin is disengaged from the socket 15, whereupon the assembly may readily be swung out of the housing, the tab 23 again providing a convenient handle for effecting the removal. Thus it will be seen that the device makes release and removal a quick and easy operation at all times, eliminating the previously mentioned difficult and annoying attempts to pry apart an inaccessible joint by means of knives or the like.

If desired, in order to prevent possible dropping or misplacement of the plate 25 when the device is being installed or subsequent to release, the plate may be permanently retained on the pin 17 by means such as a cross pin 29, FIG. 3, sufficient longitudinal clearance being provided to permit the rocking lever action described above. As a further alternative, as shown in end view in FIG. 4, the disengaging plate may be made in the form of a forked plate 25a. In this case the pin 17 preferably includes an annular groove 17a adjoining the body 20 of the roll and of a width that will permit the plate to be rocked when in engagement therewith. The plate 25a is placed in engagement with the groove 17a and is then crimped together to effect a permanent fastening. As a further alternative, the plate 25a may be attached at a suitable location on the retractable endpin 18 instead of the integral pin 17.

In the drawings the device has been illustrated as operable generally from the right side, but it will be obvious that the spool and releasing means may be turned in the other direction with no alteration whatever in the structural combination. Furthermore, while the device has been illustrated as a toilet paper dispenser, it may also be proportioned and adapted to the dispensing of other rolled sheet materials such as paper towels, alu minum foil, etc. Thus while the invention has been set forth in preferred form it is not limited to the precise embodiments illustrated,- as various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispensing device for rolled sheet material, in combination, a support including first and second side abutments and a recess therebetween adapted to accommodate a roll of said material, said side abutments having mutually aligned sockets opening into said recess, a spool body for holding said roll, an axial end-pin on one end of said spool body, a second end-pin movably supported by said spool body and axially slidable relative to said first pin, resilient means axially operable between said spool body and said second end-pin to urge said first and second end-pins into normal engagement with said sockets in said first and second abutments respectively, and a lever member on one of said end-pins, said lever member having an opening larger in diameter than the last said endpin and being rockable in the plane of the axis of said spool, said lever member including a main portion normally lying between said spool body and the cooperating abutment and an inner portion lying against the abutment and an outer portion extending outwardly from said recess beyond said first abutment, said outer portion having an angular part overlapping the outer face of the last said abutment whereby movement of said outer portion in the direction of said roll will cause said lever to pivot about its inner end and move the associated and pin out of engagement with its cooperating socket.

2. The combination according to claim 1 including means to retain said lever member on said first end-pin when said spool body is removed from said recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,253,664 Vigo Aug. 26, 1941 2,434,556 Foltis Jan. 13, 1948 2,522,109 Foltis Sept. 12, 1950 2,540,436 Fowler Feb. 6, 1951 

